Yesterday I finished W9R3 after starting C25K in early March. I started it after joining Slimming World (which in turn was after from stern words from my GP about getting my act together).

So since then from being an overweight zero exercise person (I have never even tried running before) I can now run 5km (in a little over 30 mins) and have lost two stone. I also no longer take blood pressure tablets.

Whilst I haven't found any of the runs easy, I have been constantly amazed at how the C25K program hasn't failed in any respect - each new week I've managed to do the extra Laura demanded of me despite not believing that I could from how I felt after the previous run. My only modification to the routine suggested is that in the later weeks I've found that I feel much better with two or three rest days between runs and my times also improve.

And after each run I'd check the forum here and be encouraged that I'd be able to do the next one. Without that I doubt I would have continued with it so a very big thank you.

So I'm really looking forward to my holidays this year. Last year I went away on a big family holiday, my twenty something nieces would head out for a run along the beach in Majorca before breakfast and I'd wonder why on earth they did it. This year when we go away again, I'll be running with them (assuming they don't mind their wheezing red faced 48 year old uncle tagging along!).

Well done Gav! I'm sure your fitness and weight will continue to improve and you'll want to keep running and eating healthily. Getting fitter means you can explore that bit further on your runs and it opens up all sorts of possibilities.

I think you're wise about extra rest days. Give your body the time it needs to repair. I started fitting in one extra run a week but it's resulted in injury so I've dropped it back down to three times a week with only one longer run each week now.

Yay ! graduated ! well done. Im right behind you and cant wait. What an amazing programme and site this is. I think I agree that a little extra rest on the later weeks is a good idea, I am finding the same , mind you my body soon tells when I need to get off the couch! I ran Tues afternoon, not morning as usual and planned on running this am, so not quite the full day break, do you know my body knows Im not quite ready, so will leave it until Fri am .

Congratulations on graduating Gavin. What a great story. Know of a couple of people who've combined c25k with Slimmers World and had really good result. Good luck with your future running adventure, especially the running on the beach

I certainly plan to keep running - I'm not sure whether I'm looking to go faster or for longer. I would like to be able to run longer distances but then I like the 5k 'package' - where one can have run, stretched and showered in pretty much an hour which makes it easy to integrate into everyday activities.

I love the feeling after I've finished the run - it's very addictive. I just wish I found the actual running bit easier. Hopefully in time.